Side Dishes

The simple green avocado. . .it is pretty, but certainly not as glamorous as it’s more “blingy” siblings–such as bright and colorful berries, dragon fruit, or pomegranate. Yet, it nourishes at a cellular level; and, it tastes smooth, refreshing, and delicious on the palate. Avocados differ greatly in size and because of this they differ in exact measurement of “how much per fruit equals x number of whatever vitamin/mineral.” Any fruit will also differ nutritionally dependent on how/when it was harvested; but, you can rest assured that adding a little avocado will give great nutritional benefits in a small package. Continue reading →

I was pretty excited today to go into the garden and find a bumper crop of banana peppers. I love their sweet flavor fresh from the plant; but, this many wouldn’t keep long enough for me to eat all of them. Fortunately, I have an old fashioned recipe that blends the fresh banana flavor with some sweet, some tart, and some spicy enhancements that are absolutely delicious on cheeseburgers, pizza, hotdogs, or even sandwiches. After just 10 minutes in boiling hot water this fresh and delicious medley will last in my pantry for at least a year! Less than an hour of work produced 9 pints of garden awesome. Now, all I have to do is pop open a jar the next time I want to elevate ordinary burgers to gourmet heaven–which is something I value now that the crazy school/sports season is here. Continue reading →

I am really excited about this soup! It is incredibly rich and flavorful; and, even better–it can be made in double or triple portions to freeze for later use. I really like any recipe I can commit an afternoon to and have MANY meals as a result. This recipe takes an already great medley of comforting flavors and elevates them to comforting, rich, delicious, and elegant. I am posting now because where I live in Leesburg, VA: the time to plant leeks is coming in a couple of weeks. They are very easy to grow and fresh leeks taste sooooo much better. This recipe is a great motivator. It is incredibly nice to defrost a fresh soup in the middle of winter. Depending on your zone, most others can also grow them this time of year as well so don’t feel left out. 🙂 Please comment below to tell me if you like it as much as we do!!! This recipe is for a single batch (you can double or triple at will): Continue reading →

When I would hear my mother say I needed “to boost my immune system” I would imagine combat ready cells flooding my body to attack the bad stuff. I figured these fighters must be activated by orange juice because she always had a glass in hand when my immune system was being discussed; and, something to do with Vitamin C since that is what she said would do the trick. Beyond that I didn’t think deeply about what exactly my immune system was and how it worked. Somehow, despite a science heavy undergrad as an adult I still never really understood much better than my childhood imaginations. Much later in life I was stunned to learn how between 70-80 percent of our immune system resides in our gut. Continue reading →

If you are looking for a delicious, elegant, gorgeous, and easy side dish/appetizer you can prepare before a party or meal . . . you have found it! The first time I made these was for my son’s graduation party. It was a “taco theme” and these poppers fit right in. My husband actually stood over the plate and while munching away insisted to everyone how they should really try the queso dip instead. Fortunately, no one believed him and I got the “validation” that this was really enjoyed by all. Even my younger children that tend to steer clear of anything spicy loved them. I did wonder if my queso needed tweaking though… lol!Continue reading →

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.